ALL STAR GRAPPLEVINE

Amazing action set for ASW in March

AFTER tempting fans from their firesides in high numbers for ten big bills through the school half term holiday period, with crowds of up to one thousand also watching Superslam events at the Butlin’s resorts in Skegness, Bognor Regis and Minehead, All Star Wrestling move into March with the emphasis very much on home talent. ‘Wonder Kid’ Jonny Storm will be hitting the rumble trail at Ipswich Corn Exchange on Friday March 6 with Superslam champion Thunder, Dean Allmark, ‘Yes Man’ J.D.Bryant and Tony Spitfire among others on view while next night (March 7) Pwllheli Town Hall will be the setting for more over the top rope action with no one more determined to impress than Wales’ own rising heavyweight star Caden Lay. The 25 year-old from Dollgelau was started on the road to the professional ranks by late Welsh wrestling legend Orig Williams with Barri Griffiths, now best known as Mason Ryan from WWE action in the United States, also lending a helping hand. Both Ipswich and Pwllheli have 7.30pm starts as does a bill at the Beck Theatre, Hayes, on Friday March 13 when biding to make it unlucky for some on his All Star debut will be Portsmouth’s ‘Mister Moonsault’ Jake McClusky, the line-up also including Oliver Grey, T.J.Stomper and Thunder. McClusky will also be in action at the Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone, on Friday March 20, where there’s another 7.30pm bell time, and this also applies on Saturday March 21 when All Star return to Potteries hot spot the Victoria Hall, Hanley, with Kent-based Doug Williams, ‘Prima Donna’ Nathan Cruise and Thunder battling it out in a three-way clash. Then All Star’s March spectacular at the Fairfield Halls, Croydon, takes place on Friday March 27 from 7.30 (see following story for more details), and the month winds-up with a presentation at the Towngate Theatre, Basildon, on Tuesday March 31. You can keep up with further show details by visiting us on Facebook at All Star Wrestling U.K. with a late line-up check offered by the long-established Wrestlecall telephone hot line on 09068-121884 with an update every Monday. Call cost is 60p per minute.

Big test for Superslam Champion Thunder

METAL masked monster Thunder faces the biggest test so far in his near five months reign as Superslam Champion when returning to the Fairfield Halls, Croydon, scene of his October 2014 title success over Dean Allmark, but has to face not one but two challengers in a three way ladder match event. Also bidding be first to scale the ladder and snatch the belt that will be suspended high over the ring will be South London-born heavyweight favourite James Mason and Devon action star Oliver Grey, two men who enjoy a big Fairfield following. Starting at 7.30pm the programme also brings a rare tag team appearance for Doug Williams, one of Britain’s most accomplished heavyweight globetrotters. But Doug plans to keep everyone guessing as to just who will be his partner in a meeting with Norfolk tearaways Roy and Zak Knight, the UK Hooligans. There’s also a potential ladies sizzler in the line-up with the vastly experienced Sweet Saraya taking-on girl of the moment Kay Lee Ray. The flame haired Glasgow lass hit the headlines last year when battling through to the finals of the TNA British Boot Camp event and making her mark in the USA, and Croydon will be her last home contest before flying back across the North Atlantic to New York and the start of a series of appearances for top American ladies promotion Shimmer.

WE CAN now announce that the provisional All Star date at the Orchard Theatre, Dartford, is confirmed for Sunday April 26 with a 3pm start time and after capacity February crowd at the Woodville Halls, Gravesend, Kent fans can look forward to two more events. First up is a bill on Wednesday April 2 before an additional Gravesend presentation on Friday June 19. There will also be high summer action in Bournemouth with All Star returning for a Pavilion Ballroom bill on Thursday August 27.

Oliver Grey sees off Gangrel’s challenge

DEVON’S well-travelled heavyweight star Oliver Grey came through a first 2015 defence of the Butlin’s Championship Belt when seeing off the challenge of ‘Vampire Warrior’ Gangrel at the Minehead resort. It was the last appearance of Gangrel’s February-March British tour and Grey pulled out all the stops to ensure the former WWF and WWE star went home empty handed. German campaigners Hand Hoffman and Adrian Severe have also returned to Europe but will be back in our rings later in the year. Grey emerged as overall winner for 2014 after the Butlin’s Belt was introduced last summer and now he will be putting it on the line during a period of Easter Superslam events at the Minehead, Bognor Regis and Skegness Centres. The run starts with shows at both Skegness and Bognor on Saturday March 28, with Bognor action on Tuesday March 31 and a Skegness date on Thursday April 2. Both resorts figure again on Saturday April 4, there’s more at Bognor on Tuesday April 7, with further bills at Skegness and Bognor on Saturday April 11. Minehead comes into the picture on Sunday April 12 and there’s a Saturday line-up scheduled for Bognor on Saturday April 18 with a string of belt challengers including South Coast hell-raiser T.J.Stomper, Blackpool’s J.D.Bryant and hillbilly contender Cousin Jake Wyatt..

ALL STAR’S Merseyside training School is now into year nine and still operating from 10am to 4pm every Saturday at Bebington Civic Centre on Merseyside. Since it all began in 2006 the school, under head trainer Dean Allmark, has produced a whole string of students who have gone on to appear in the professional ranks with Rufus Jacobs, A.J.Silver, Big Kahula, Justin Sane and girls prospect Sammi Rae all making their debuts last year and following in the footsteps of previous discoveries including Ringo Ryan, Carl Curtis, Andy ‘Air’ Anderson, Ben Levy, Caden Lay, the Davies brothers Adam and Simon, Luke Hardy, Tyson Taylor, Jack Union and ‘Young Wrestler of the Year’ title winner Sean Morel. Children’s parties are another popular feature at Bebington offering fun, food and the live wrestling experience up close and personal with guest ring stars. For details of trial training sessions or party bookings the number to call is 07738-330316.